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----- Original Message ----- From: Camilla Flintermann <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, July 15, 1999 10:20 PM Subject: PD caused by a virus? > Trish-- here's the answer from Peter's neuro: > > Question: > A friend who has PD says her doctor told her that PD > and hypoglycemia are "both caused by a virus". I > thought the cause of PD was unknown....except for > the cases resulting from the 1918 flu epidemic. Can > the doctor be right? or is he thinking of the 1918 > cases only? I don`t know if the doctor is a > neurologist. Any comments? > > Answer: > The cause for PD remains unknown. Postencephalitic > parkinsonism is indeed due to a virus as you have > indicated. However, the brain pathology in such > patients does not resemble that seen in PD, so they > are distinct entities. MPTP, a contaminant of illicit > drugs also produced an epidemic of parkinsonism. > This again is a distinct entity but suggests the > possibility of toxins as a cause. Paraquat, a pesticide, > has a chemical structure resembling MPTP. There > also is some indication that PD may be more common > in rural areas, perhaps related to pesticide exposure. > All these however are speculations and there is no > definitive evidence for any of these agents as specific > causative factors for Parkinson`s disease. > > For more information: > > Arif Dalvi, M.D. Assistant Professor , Department of Neurology > College of Medicine , University of Cincinnati > ******* > This "NetWellness"site run by the U. of Cincinnati Med School is very > useful--one can "Ask an Expert" about a long list of diseases. I have > mentioned it before, and here's the URL again. Maybe Janet would like to > link to it? > > http://www.netwellness.org/expert/expert_frame.htm > > > Ask an Expert | What's Hot | Health Topics | In the News > What's New | Search | Getting Around | About | Feedback | > E-Books/Magazines | Medline | Home > Copyright © 1994-1999 University of Cincinnati > ******** > Trish-- > You might want to share this with the osteopath who misinformed you! > > You could go to the website and ask about hypoglycemia, too . > > > > Camilla Flintermann, <[log in to unmask]> > > http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/camilla/one.htm My Home Page > > " Knowing when to insist, and when to let be, > is,perhaps, a lifetime learning experience ." > --Mary McCurry >